Palestinian Soccer Player Nears Death:
Professional Footballer Mahmoud al Sarsak In Protest
Of His Illegal Incarceration
23 July 2012By Karin Friedemann
While President Obama awarded Israeli president
Shimon Perez with a medal last week, world outrage
about Israel's treatment of Palestinians has escalated
exponentially as professional footballer Mahmoud al
Sarsak nears death from his hunger strike of over 90
days in protest of his illegal incarceration.
Thousands of other Palestinian prisoners, including 20
children, have joined his hunger strike. Despite a
media blackout, the word has been spreading globally
through Facebook and Twitter.
With Sarsak, Akram Al-Rikhawi, a prisoner for 8 years
on his 57th day of hunger strike, wrote in a letter to
the world: "This is an urgent and final distress call
from captivity, slow and programmed death inside the
cells of so-called Ramle Prison hospital, that you
know that your sons and brothers are still struggling
against death and you pay no attention to them and do
not remember their cause…You are the ones able to
support us for victory in our battle."
Sarsak, a 25 year old from Rafah, in Gaza, was
arrested at a checkpoint while on his way to the West
Bank to play with the Palestinian national team in
2009. Since then, he has been detained without charge
or trial, and has not been allowed to see his family.
He is being held under the Unlawful Combatant Law,
which allows Israel to detain Palestinians from Gaza
indefinitely without charge or criminal proceedings
being brought to court. As with every other
Palestinian prisoner held by Israel, Mahmoud was
transferred to a prison outside of the Occupied
Territories. This is illegal under Articles 49 and 76
of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the
transfer of prisoners from an occupied territory to
that of the occupying state. 2,000 prisoners,
according to Palestinian prisoners' rights group
Addameer, are held as administrative detainees without
a chance of trial.
UN Special Envoy to the Occupied Territories, Richard
Falk, has called for the 25 year old's release, saying
that ‘he has suffered immensely.' Sarkar has lost 33
percent of his body weight. After three months without
food, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel issued a
warning that he could die at any moment.
There are huge demonstrations expected in Scotland on
Saturday, where Israel's women's soccer team is to
play against Scotland. Mick Napier, chairman of the
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC),
explains: "There should be no business as usual for
Israel's national teams while Israel denies
Palestinians the same privileges."
Meanwhile, dozens of professional athletes have been
rallying to Sarsak's cause, sending out twitters to
fans. "In the name of sporting solidarity, justice and
human rights, we declare our support for Palestinian
footballer Mahmoud Sarsak. As European sportsmen, we
believe that every person has the right to a fair and
independent trial," wrote Marcelo del Pozo, an
Argentinian player for Spain.
Seville striker Frédéric Kanouté posted on his
website: "In the name of civil liberties, justice, and
basic human rights, we call for the release of Mahmoud
Sarsak." Kanouté gained international fame when he
lifted his team jersey to reveal a shirt with the word
"Palestine"after scoring a goal during a league match
at the height of Israel's January 2009 attack on Gaza,
an action for which he was fined $4,000.
Other supporters include Nicolas Anelka, former player
for Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Real
Madrid, and French sailor Jo Le Guen. Prominent
figures such as former France and Manchester United
midfielder Eric Cantona, film director Ken Loach and
American philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky have
urged Israeli authorities to release Sarsak. Protests
under the banner "Let Sarsak Live" took place in
London's Trafalgar Square last week to raise awareness
of his ordeal. In a letter to The Guardian, former UK
Member of Parliament John Austin called on the Union
of European Football Associations (UEFA) to
"reconsider its decision to hold its under-21
championship in Israel in 2013."
Amnesty International also proclaimed that Sarsak,
"who is at risk of death after more than 90 days on
hunger strike in protest against his detention by
Israel should immediately be admitted to a civilian
hospital or released so that he can receive
life-saving medical care."
Philippe Piat, vice-president of FIFPro, the global
organization which represents professional footballers
said, "freedom of movement is a fundamental right of
every citizen. It is also written down in the FIFA
Regulations that players must be allowed to play for
the national team of their country. But actually for
some footballers it is impossible to defend the colors
of their country. They cannot cross the border. They
cannot visit their family. They are locked up. This is
an injustice.'
As the Israeli Asaf Harofe Hospital announced that
Sarkar's death could come within hours, the Fédération
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) became
heavily involved in pressing the Israelis for Sarsak's
release. On June 20, Mahmoud Sarsak rejected an offer
from negotiators and lawyers to be released to Norway
or Sweden.
Mahmoud wants to be free to go to his home in the Gaza
Strip only.
Gaza TV News reported on June 21: "After 91 days on
Hunger Strike, Mahmoud Sarsak is to be released on
July 17th. We will post further news as it reaches
us." This report has not yet been confirmed, so it is
vital that the public continue writing letters and
making phone calls of support.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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